Starwars - Where Do We Go From Here
by GarazebOrreliosExpialidocious
Summary: Finally settling with her thoughts Rey struggles to find her purpose among the resistance. After recent events her judgment is clouded when she is confronted by Ben Solo who desperatly wants her by his side. Can he sway her to leave the resistnace and join him?, or will Poe turn her affections to himself?
1. Something Worth Fighting For

— Kylo Ren

Ren's eyes burned with fury as he slowly raises his head to see non other than Rey staring back at him. She stands bluntly in the doorframe of the ship once owned by his father; the Millennium Falcon. Swallowing the bile now rising in his throat he clutches his fists together, holding back the overwhelming urge to scream. His fathers ship continued to mock him constantly, as it was just another painful memory into his past. Now Rey herself co-piloted the heap of junk along side that blasted Wookiee. Rey, the girl he had once thought of as his future, still held on to the past. "Kill it if you have to" rattled the caverns of his mind briefly before the door of the falcon began to close and the force connection was cut.

Now only the damp cold control room of the rebel base lay in front him. He hung his head as tiredness and the emotional pain of both failure and loneliness took over his body and mind. Skywalker had slipped from his grasp all the while making a fool out him in front of not only the first order, but the retched rebels that had escaped as a result. But non of this turmoil compared to the empty hole he felt growing larger in his heart, the embarrassment that threatened to upturn his stomach and spill out on to the floor in front of him. As much as he tried, Rey's face kept flashing in his mind like first burst of sunshine that burns your eyes as you try to wake.

It was her he felt most embarrassed of. Despite the stories she had been told of him, she now witnessed first hand the kind of uncontrollable rage he was capable of. "She brought this upon herself!" Screams his conscious, a sad attempt to make himself feel better. He had offered her his hand, a simple gesture that meant everything to him. The past needed to die, he felt it so strongly in his heart. The wrongs he had committed were unfaceable and a brand new future was the only logical path to move forward. A life without Jedi, Sith, the resistance, the first order, all of it needed to be washed from existence, and all he wanted was Rey by his side; the girl who understood him.

Or so he thought. The vision of his hand stretched out now played in his head like a broken record. "Please... please... please..." the word was tormenting him. Never in his life had he begged for anything. Never in his life had he showed that kind of weakness. Somehow Rey had broken down the very wall he had cemented around himself, something not even his father was capable of penetrating. Her presence had made him feel indescribably calm as it pulled the light from inside of him towards the surface just enough for him to taste the sweetness of its affect.

As soon as she called for her Saber, the light had vanished. Darkness sprung into action as it suffocated any hopeful feeling that threatened to show its face again. She had made her choice to betray him.

The vision vanished, and yet he sat still with his face towards the ground, a tear gently stains his cheek. He raises his hand confused, touching the salty liquid that flowed without permission. He suddenly felt the sensation of longing over throwing any other emotion that had previously surged his body. "I need to see her again" he whispers shockingly to himself as he tried to process what he had just said.

All his life he spent under rule of someone he once thought gave him a purpose. Fighting in a war that had no meaning to him besides his own self discovery and revenge. But now for the first time he found something that he himself believed was worth fighting for, and he wasn't about to give it up that easily.


	2. The Falcon

-Rey

Black crow like eyes peered up at Rey as she helped the last of the rebels safely into the Falcon. It was just her and him now, standing at a stalemate as far as their relationship was concerned. Still feeling the shock and disgust of his betrayal, there were no words left to say to him, but within the pit of her stomach she felt a deep sadness resting there.

The door to the Falcon rises slowly as Rey refused to pull her eyes from his until he fully disappeared behind the thick metal sheet, breaking there force connection. She exhales a hefty sigh and leans back against the wall of the boarding ramp. The anger faded and now all she felt was the overwhelming feeling of exhaustion crashing down upon her. The familiar gravity shift alerted her that Chewy had taken off, sending the ship into the blue haze of hyperspace.

Collecting herself she stood up straight and made her way down the hall towards the middle bay, desperately longing for sleep. She rounded the corner to the right and continued towards the main hold, the ships community area, hoping to find Leia before turning in for the night.

Nearly towards the door she is cut off my a young gentleman. His hair was brown and matted with no obvious attempt of being fixed. His eyes sharing the same brown shone brightly, the eyes of a hard worker. He greeted her with a smile and extended his hand politely.

Rey accepts the offer and places her hand in his, giving it a firm shake. "Hi I'm Rey" her voice friendly and proud.

"I know" he grins widely at her before carrying on down the hallway. "Poe" he calls over his shoulder before disappearing beyond the corner.

Rey's cheeks flush pink as she continues walking until she steps inside the main hold. Spotting Leia she finds a seat beside her, finally feeling the full weight of her exhaustion dragging her down. She turns to speak to, but pauses a moment to examine Leia's facial expression. Rey was surprised that her face didn't portray that of someone who had been defeated, as she herself was feeling. Instead Leia's face spoke of hope and relief, even after losing so much. Pride glowed on Rey's cheeks, upon realizing she was sitting next to one of the strongest figure in the galaxy.

"Luke's gone" She gently whispers to Leia. Guilt ate away at her, spreading like a plaque throughout her body. She had been so hasty to leave Ach-to despite Luke's warning, so fixated on believing she was right over his judgement. In the end his words hung Staley in the air "This is not going to go how you think it is".

Leia gently rest her arm on Rey's shoulder, as if she could feel the weight on her very heart. It was a soothing gesture and Rey relaxed herself against the back of the seat. "It wasn't out of pain" she continues "out of peace".

Leia nods gently "I know" she replies grief stricken yet with wise understanding.

Rey smiles softly, before her eyes wander around the hall, until they land on Finn. She watches him as he gently drapes a cotton blanket over a young girl. She couldn't have been no older than Rey, possibly even younger. Finn rests beside her bunk as he watches her with concern. It made old memories swiftly pass through her mind; she couldn't help but wonder what kind of trouble they had gotten themselves into, it made her smile.

With a quiet nod to Leia, Rey stood up and escorted herself down the Deck Hatch to the crew quarters, hoping to find an empty bed to retire for the night. The cabin door opens creakily to reveal three simple beds. Two of them were already occupied by those who had been badly wounded in battle. Her eyes sink with sorrow as she takes refuge in the last available bed. The cot was hard and cold, with a blanket to match, but her exhaustion out weighted the cons and she made due.

Her mind slowly drifted in and out of consciousness as the ship gently rocked back and forth, creating a rhythmic swaying motion that Rey found to be comforting. Just as she found herself finally drifting asleep the hanger door opens.

In walks a young man, his coat a mix of light and brown. Rey couldn't get a good look at him as he turned away to service the wounded, but he looked familiar. His hairline cut off at the base of his neck that lead down to strong broad shoulders. She watches his as he tends to the wounds of each rebel, swabbing open cuts and re-bandaging what was necessary. When he had finished he stood up and began to walk out of the cabin, before he noticed Rey.

"Hey" he calls over to her before taking a few steps towards her bunk. "Are you okay?" It was Poe.

"Fine, just a bit tired" she replies, only slightly the truth. It wasn't that she was hurt in anyway physically, but mentally she felt galaxies away from the present. From the moment the door of the Falcon closed and the connection broke between her and Kylo Ren something inside her stirred. The sadness that had sat at the base of her stomach now infected her insides as it danced around with the guilt that already made a home within her.

He looks at her with an expression that said it all, he knew it wasn't full truth but prying wasn't in his character. He turns away from her and shuffles his hands inside a nearby drawer, and pulls out a cotton blanket. He drapes the blanket over Rey casually and kneels down to face her.

"Thank you" He starts. "for everything you've done today. Drawing the ties off our backs, and literally lifting rocks just to save us. If it wasn't for you, who knows how far we would have made it before the first order caught up to us." He places his hand on hers, a simple gesture of appreciation before standing up to walk away.

The warmth of his hand still lingers on hers, and she feels her cheeks grow hot, and for a moment the sadness vanished and she was able to peacefully fall asleep.


	3. Endor

-Rey

The ship landed with a thud that shook the entire cabin, waking Rey with a sudden jolt.

The door opens and Poe walks in bright eyed and energized. Rey wish she could say the same for herself but in truth her back ached from sleeping on the hard cot and she longed to stretch her limbs. She slowly tosses her legs over the side of the bed and rubs her eyes trying to take in the fluorescent lighting. Squinting she looks up to see Poe now grinning down at her.

"You would think with all the damage this ship has taken, Chewy could be a little gentler with the landing" Rey starts.

"This ships been through a lot worse, including it's fair share of crash landings. I'm actually impressed it hasn't broken down yet" Poe's eyes scan the cabin as if he saw more than just three plain walls and a doorway. Admiration shone brightly on his face. "The Millennium Falcon, the ship of legend."

Rey felt her heart tighten. "A ships legend is only as good as the pilot" her voice strains trying to get the words out.

Poe turns back to her with a sympathetic smile. He himself had know Han Solo for quiet sometime and felt the pain of his loss all the same. "When one legend falls, comes another to takes it's place" He walks over to Rey and gently places a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Rey glances up at him with a look of gratitude. Hans Solos death was a true tragedy of more than just war. Rey couldn't keep herself from replaying the moment over in her head whenever she thought of him. It hit especially hard as a girl who had been abandoned by her own parents, to see how unspeakably calm Han was as he faced his son, despite what he had done. He literally put his life on the line to save Ben, and even in his final moments he still reached out to him with the loving touch that connected a boy and his father.

"We should get some fresh air" Poe coxes her, sensing her distress. "Come on" He heads towards the door and gestures her to follow.

"Fresh air would be nice" she agrees and follows him out the door.

The door of the boarding ramp lowers with a hiss, sending up a cloud of dust as it lands on the earth. Rey and Poe make their way down in the haze, covering their mouths from breathing in the dirt. As the cloud clears Rey's eyes widen as the Planet comes into focus. Ahead of her was a vast forest of tall green trees, taller than any she had ever seen before. The bark was a rich dark brown with emerald leaves that sparkled as the suns rays broke through. The forest floor was littered with thick lush patches of moss and tall tall grass that swayed in the breeze. The sight was a breath taking.

"Where are we?" Rey asks in Awe.

Before Poe has a chance to answer a voice sounds from behind. "Welcome to Endor!" They both turn around to see General Organa making her way down the ramp. Poe runs to her side and takes her hand gently guiding her the rest of the way down. Once her feet hit the earth she slaps away Poe's hand endearingly; Rey smirks at the exchange.

"So this is Endor?, as in the battle of Endor?!" Rey smiles widely. "I've heard stories of the battle from traders passing through Jakku!"

"Is that so?" Leia smiles back at her.

"What are we doing here General?" Poe asks as he scans the surroundings.

"Paying a little visit to some furry friends" she looks over to him with a mischievous smile. "We are low on both supplies and fuel. Perhaps they can be of some help"

"Furry friends?" Rey looks to Poe questioningly, his arms now folded to his chest.

"Ewoks" he grins.


	4. Confronted By Power

— Ren

The ruin was now alive with the sound of footsteps crunching over derby and rubble that littered the upturned earth of the former rebel base. Stormtroopers scattered amidst the foul order of freshly melted metal and unsettled salt.

Ren broke free of his trance as a pebble skirted across the floor in front of him. He looks up to see General Hux sneering at him from the newly carved entrance way of the base. Ren's lip quivered with annoyance. He sensed that Hux was relishing in his recent failure that allowed the rebels to flee with not even a single casualty. Hux turns away from Ren as Troopers pass his right, he turns to them and issues orders. Ren was too far away to hear but he watched as the troopers headed further into the cavern.

He stands slowly, brushing dust from his clothing before straighten himself upright. He had made up his mind, he would find Rey at all cost, make her see that his was the true path worth taking even if it killed him, but he needed to elude the first order to his plan.

Ren begins a steady stride towards Hux, every footstep fueling anger as he watches him order more troopers to his bidding. Hux was kept around no more than a dog to supreme leader Snoke. He believed Snoke only kept him around to taunt him, for every mistake he made Snoke would call upon Hux to give him command; breaking Ren's ego. This drove the darkness deeper into his heart, as he became more frustrated with a master who constantly berated and belittled him, only to throw someone as powerless and common as Hux in his face.

But now the supreme leader was dead and Hux had taken upon himself to take the role of a leader. It wasn't Rens intentions to become leader of the first order from the beginning, he merely wanted to finish what his grandfather had started. Vader had believed the Jedi were truly evil, truly corrupt, and Rens own experience had solidified his Grandfathers beliefs. However now the rivalry he felt towards Hux blurred out his intentions and he became clouded in a rage. Unable to control his temper always proved to be his greatest weakness.

Hux straightens himself to attention as Ren nears him. His once confident face now hung blankly as he starred at Ren who now stood directly before him. Ren could see the fear creasing on his forehead as he struggled to keep a serious expression to mask it. Rens lip curls in a subtle smile watching the influence that his appearance alone struck Hux.

General Hux clears his throat with nervousness before speaking. "What to report Sir?" He asks.

"Is that not what I should be asking you?" Ren squints his eyes in an obvious mocking gesture.

"Nothing of importance yet sir, but I assure you we are working diligently and upturning every scrap of debris until this whole wreckage is searched clean." He bows.

Ren was amazed. Hux had directly bowed before him without instruction. The man who consistently challenged him, who sought any opportunity to make Ren feel even more worthless when Snoke scolded him; now stood with his eyes closed and head lowered in submission.

Feeling enlightened with a new warmth surging his veins, he scans the area in wonder. To his left, troopers were lifting scraps of metal from damaged controls while others issued droids to hack the salvageable ones. He turns towards the ship as more troopers worked tirelessly repairing ships and checking weapons. With the supreme leader out of the picture, he fell next in line. Troopers had followed his every command without hesitation. "Is this what true power feels like?" He thinks to himself. The sickening feeling of darkness bubbled in the pit of his stomach, but this time it felt more bearable then any before, in fact he liked it; very much.

"I've found something sir!" A trooper comes running out of the base towards Ren. He stops at his heel and extends his hand forward. General Hux now stood at attention once more eagerly. Resting in the troopers palm was a small metal device in the form of a bracelet. It contained a blue stone held in by two metal wires resting in the center. Hux takes the device from the troopers hand and throughly looks it over.

"It seems to be some sort of homing beacon, I imagine" He smiles triumphantly. "They must have dropped it as they were running with their tails between their legs!" He grins widely up at Ren; a first for him. "We will find those disgusting rebels and blast them to pieces one by one. I suggest starting with the girl. We will make her pay for the murder of supreme leader Snoke" his face grows sinister as he looks up Ren.

The warmth completely vanished from his body. Ren now felt hollow as the words stab like frozen ice needles from Hux's lips and straight into his gut. In the thirst of power he had completely forgotten of the rebels, but more importantly... Rey. His lip quivered in confusion. He never wanted power to begin with but the taste had overdriven his senses, a taste that now left his mouth sour. His heart raced in a panic as sweat begin to bead on his forehead, and he felt the overwhelming urge to flee.

"Of course the honor will be all yours" At these words Rens breaks from his dazed state as Hux holds the tracker out towards him. "Rey..." He calls out in his mind. No the mere suggestion of harming her was enough to make him want to vomit, and a suggestion by Hux of all people. He fought desperately to calm himself with the rage that was now building inside him. He had made up his mind earlier to find her, and no amount of power was going to change that, but he couldn't risk exposing himself now; even though the only thought on his mind was striking Hux down were he stood.

Without breaking eye contact Ren snatches the beacon from his palm and turns away sharply.

"Tell the troops to continue repairs on our ships" Ren calls over his shoulder towards Hux. He takes off vigilantly towards his personal ship, the beacon in his palm.

"Where do you think you-u..." Hux chokes mid sentence. He grasps his neck frantically with fear and confusion.

Ren brow furls in a downward point as he watches his fingers curl inwards with the power of the force in my. Satisfaction bubbles through his veins as he squeezes tighter until the sound of Hux's gurgling gasps come to a stop. Ren takes a deep breath and releases. He stands a moment listening to Hux desperately gasping for air behind him, followed by uncontrollable coughing, before continuing towards his ship.

"I'm going to find Rey" He mumbles under his breath.

\- Hux

Hux struggles to get his bearings and pull himself off the ground. His throat felt tight and sore. The action taken by Ren was so abrupt and he was unprepared for a recoil of such violence. He thought Ren would be thrilled that the troopers had uncovered something that proved pretty valuable if it meant being able to easily track down the rebels.

"It doesn't make sense" Hux thinks to himself, his eyes now burning into the back of Rens skull as he marched away. "The first order is spread wide, we could have brand new Star destroyers here in a moments notice, but he wants to focus on repairing the supremacy?"

Hux paces in circles as his mind wandered trying to come up with any logical explanation. Eventually he shook his head, it still didn't make sense to him no matter how he tried to spin the story. The only thing he knew for sure, is that his dislike and distrust for Kylo Ren felt more real than ever now.

He becons a trooper to his side and whispers something into his helmet.

"Right away sir" the trooper salutes Hux before taking off in the same direction as Ren.


	5. A Haunting Voice

Rey took in every sight and sound as she followed Poe, BB8 and Leia deeper into the forest. Leia was kind enough to invite her along to greet the Ewoks while the rest of the rebellion hung back by the ship. Poe had taken it upon himself to describe them to her as they started their journey forward. She now envisioned a smaller version of Chewbacca.

They traveled in silence for a while, keeping pace with one another. Poe hung back a short amount to keep watch, BB8 close at his heels, as Leia lead the front. Rey felt at ease being surrounded by the dense vegetation that acted as a blanket to the rest of the world. It was cool beneath the canopy of trees casting dark shadows all around them. This place was much different than Jakku, and she felt as if she could get lost in the twist and turns the forest had to offer and in would cleanse her of all the pain she ever endured.

"Rey..." a faint whisper calls out to her, the voice chillingly familiar. She looks around as fear crept up the back of her spine. She could have sworn she heard Kylo Ren calling out to her. Rey turns towards Poe and Leia but neither of them showed any signs of distress. Even BB8 who senses were more acute than humans rolled along unfazed. "It must just be paranoia" she thinks to herself before calming down. "I need to get him out of my head" but She found that to be harder than she thought. His face had burned itself into her memory ever since their intimate encounter on Achtoo. She had allowed herself to become vulnerable to him and share the pain and loneliness that ate her alive, both of which he reciprocated. She felt sympathy towards him, but in the end he chose his path, and now Rey couldn't decide how she felt towards him; but she wanted to believe there was still light in his heart.

A cool breeze shakes the trees ahead violently catching Rey off guard. Goosebumps awaken on her skin, instinctively she crosses her arms and rubs them furiously where her robes cut off her shoulders.

Suddenly she is startled as a thick brown object is draped around her shoulders. It felt warm and leathery against her skin and the scent of oil and sweat filled her nose. Her fingers trace the zipper that now tickled her neck, that attached itself to a brown jacket, she recognized it as Poe's. She casually glances in his direction, as he now walked a few paces ahead of her. A ray of sun peaked through the forest ahead casting a golden glow on his frame. Her cheeks grew hot as she watched him. His tan shirt clung to him fittingly, showcasing his broad shoulders and muscle underneath. She tugs his jacket closer to her skin feeling embarrassed by her now self aware attraction. BB8 now trailing beside her, chirps merrily up at Rey. She looks down at him her face serious, "oh you better not tell him" she scolds.

At last the forest spreads out into a large opening that was alive with the patter of scattered footsteps. Small brown furry creatures wondered about amongst the many huts that occupied the area. They were no bigger than a meter tall, ranging in colors of black and brown. Ladders extended into the trees above, the sturdy trunks held large wooden platforms that more huts could be found build upon them.

They stood together at the front of the clearing watching the Ewoks attend to hard days work, not yet noticing the arrivals.

"So these are Ewoks?" Rey looks up at Poe astonished.

"They're not much to look at, but despite their size they're actually pretty strong" he replies with humor in his voice.

"Oh indeed they are" Leia chimes in cheerfully. "They can be rather feisty as well. That's why you are to wait here, while I go seek out an old friend."

"But General.." Poe starts

"That's an order" Leia cuts him off sternly. She was more than capable of handling herself.

"At least take BB8 with you" He pleads with her. The droid looks up at him before rolling to Leia's side.

"Alright alright" she smiles down at BB8 "I'll be gone a moment." With that she turns to the village and heads towards it.

"If anything she can be rather feisty herself" Poe says to Rey but mostly talking to himself. His hands now sat against his hips as he watched her reach the center of the village. The Ewoks now gathered around her all talking at once in there native language. A larger Ewok that was dark brown with a speckle of tan spots extends his hand to Leia and escorts her deeper into the village. Poe sighs.

Rey looks up at him curiously. "She must mean a lot to you" she says watching him.

"I look up to her" he replies coolly. "Before this I was just a pawn in the Republics Fleet, and they were doing nothing against the constant barrage brought on the first order. When I met Leia she offered me a place in the resistance and it changed my life forever. So sometimes I even feel I owe her my life."

"So you've been with the resistance long then?" Rey's asks.

"Not long enough, if you ask me." He shrugs. "But yeah, I've been here a while, and I wouldn't want it any other way." His face widens in a grin as he looks to Rey. "I'm just glad to be apart of something that really matters. Where I can do what I must to protect the people I care about." His grin lowers into a soft smile.

His smile warms her cheeks. Something about him made her feel safe. Perhaps his commitment to the resistance which she deemed as noble or his compassion for justice which was admirable in her eyes. His hair swayed softly as a swift breeze rolled in, while his eyes a soft brown twinkled in the suns Rays. Rey could see herself getting lost in them.

"Rey..." Again she hears Rens voice call out to her, seemingly closer this time like it was whispering into her ear. She whirls around to face him, her mind racing with fear but also a painful longing, but no one was there.

"Rey.. you okay?" Poe puts his hand on her shoulder and she spins around to face him. Sweat was now beading on her forehead and she was pale. "What's wrong?" He looks at her concerned.

Her words get caught in her throat as she begins to tell Poe what she had heard, but quickly thought better of it. Rey found she trusted Poe with her life, but her state of mind was a bit more complicated. She thought it would be better to keep what she couldn't even explain to herself for now. The last thing she wanted was to bring alarm over something that was all in her head.

"Uh.. sorry, I just thought I heard a noise" she manages to mumble. "It's not entirely a lie" she justifies to herself. She watches Poe's face as he studies hers. He looks past her a moment scanning the woods for any sign of danger before turning back to her with a gentle smile.

"We're safe here" He reasures her. "The Supremacy was destroyed so there's no way they could have tracked us through hyper space." He straightens himself upright as if he himself didn't believe it, but he had to. "But In the off chance that they do show up here, we'll be ready. Kylo Ren will pay, I promise you that"

The sound of that name made Rey's stomach tighten. She had met both sides him, the dark and the light. Kylo Ren just acted as a shield for him to hide behind but she knew it wasn't his true self, or at least she wanted to believe it wasn't. She had seen his future, felt his heart when their finger tips touched. She could feel it in the force itself, Ben Solo was still alive.

Before she could reply commotion came from the village below. They both turn their attention to the bottom of the hill were Leia now stood surrounded by chanting Ewoks.

"Um is that good?" Rey looks to Poe once again for answers. But Poe didn't turn to her, he was staring intently down into the clearing. A small light brown Ewok held Leia's hand in his paws.

"It doesn't look bad" he shrugs. He watches as Leia bends down to hug the small creature in a friendly embrace. She stands and waves to the rest of the Ewoks that still chanted in a merrily tone. With BB8 at her side she begins her climb up the slope back towards her companions. Poe extends his hand as she nears the top and she takes it thankfully.

"Good News?" Poe asks.

"Good News" Leia smiles up at him. "It looks like the Ewoks have some spare huts in the eastern part of their village. They're willing to let us stay and rest a few days until we can get ourselves situated."

"But what about the rest of the resistance? Can't we regroup with them?" Rey suggests cluelessly.

Leia looks to her sadly. "My dear, this is the rest of the resistance. We sent for a distress signal when we were on Crait. It was revived, but no one replied. I'm afraid we need to make due on our own for the time being." She rests her hand on Rey's shoulder "it will be alright though. We are safe here. We have friends within the Ewok troop and they despise the first order just as much as the rest of the galaxy, and they are not afraid to fight it."

Rey studied her face a moment. Once again she could see a face full of hope that put her mind at ease. The resistance was lucky to have such an inspiration for a leader, and she could see then and there why Poe looked up to her so much. She was like a mother she never had.

"We should head back and tell the others before it gets any darker" Poe interrupts the thoughtful moment.

Rey looks up into the trees as the suns Rey's turned a dark shade of orange. She felt the ache come back in her shoulders from her previous uncomfortable nap on the Falcon. She was exhausted and looked forward to a good nights sleep. They began there walk back.


	6. Visitor of the Night

— Rey

The hut was small considering it was built for a creature more than half the size of a human, but Rey found it to be comforting. It reminded her of her make shift home back on Jakku. Despite knowing there was nothing left for her there, it was the only place she had ever know as a home and she would always feel that ache in her heart.

A small bed made of straw and twigs nestled in the corner of the room, while a table made from the stump of a tree took up the middle. The room was cluttered with nothing but clay cooking pots and silverware made from bones. A dimly lit torch hung on the wall casting a golden hue around the room, while the only barrier to the outside forest was a thin sheet of animal hide that draped across the door frame.

Rey unhooked her hostler that contained a blaster laid it gently on the table before taking a seat on the bed. She was now alone, left only with her troubling thoughts. The sound of Bens voice calling out to her kept echoing in her mind as she tried to make sense of it. Poe's jacket was still draped over her shoulders, she pulls it off slowly and places it on her lap. Sighing she brings it close to her face letting the leather caress her face. Poe's scent still lingered on it and it put her mind at ease.

She had offered it back to him when they reached the Falcon, but he suggested she keep it for a little while, at least until they found something suitable for her. Rey felt awkward in the situation, she wasn't used to being around someone as considerate as him. He had been nothing but nice to her since he had introduced himself and his overall essence brought her peace.

"I need to get some sleep" she finally tells her self laying down on her back. She lays Poe's jacket down next to her and stares at the ceiling. Her eyes refused to close. She knew that only painful images awaited her behind the darkened sheets of her eyelids. Images that she wasn't ready to face yet, but eventually sleep overcame her.

"Please..." Ben Solo stands before her his hand outstretched in a painful plea. Tears burn her cheek as she fights the inner turmoil of her heart. The resistance needed her, but so did Ben. She shakes her head fiercely trying to shake away the pain that was tearing her apart, and takes his hand. Ben squeezes it tightly and pulls her in close, her body now pressed against his chest. She could hear his heart beat racing beneath his black robes.

"Look at me" He begs her. Without hesitation Rey lifts her head to face him. Their eyes lock and she gets lost in his brown marbles that welled with tears. His essence pulled her in as they stood together as two broken souls made whole. He sweeps a wisp of her hair from her face and pulls her chin forward. Their lips brush together as the longing between them grows stronger. Finally he presses his into hers. The softness engulfs her as warmth spreads throughout her entire body.

The vision was shattered by an ear splitting scream, followed by another, and another. Ben faded from her view and she was thrown into a void of darkness. Stumbling to her feet another scream comes from behind her. She whirls around to see a fleet of resistance ships. Her heart lurches as one by one they're blown from the Sky by the Supremacy . The vision changes again and she finds herself now inside one of the ships. In front of her sits Leia nestled into the arms of Poe. Her face no longer held that familiar hopefulness that Rey had come to respect, inside it hung in sorrow, hopeless. Rey turns away quickly from the painful image only to be greeted by the sight of Finn staring blankly out the window. In his hand gripped tight was the homing beacon that matched the one Leia had given her. He lifts it to his forehead his eyes closing tightly until he can no longer control the tears. Rey's heart was breaking as she watched the scene being played out in front of her. "Finn" she cries out to him her voice cracking. She reaches her hand out and it locks around his wrist. He turns to face her, his eyes wide in disbelief. His lips part but the words never make it out. A flash of red light fills the cabin of the ship and the last thing Rey's see's before the vision breaks is Finns scared face staring at hers.

Rey wakes up in a cold sweat, her heart beating violently fast. It takes a moment for her eyes to adjust before she realizes she's back in the Ewok hut. The fire of the torch flickered low now and the room felt more quiet than it did before. She needed to get some air.

Rey swings her legs over the side of the bed and stands up shakily. She grabs Poe's jacket and throws it on. She pulls her blaster from her holster and tucks it into the belt of her robes. Grabbing the torch of the wall she pushes the hide curtain to the side and scouts the area. It was quiet besides the sounds of the forest tree shaking in the night breeze. She slips out of her hut and stares deep into the darkness in front of her.

Taking on last look towards the village she heads toward the forest, the fear of getting lost completely void from her thoughts. She continued forward breathing in the cold air trying to forget her dream. Every few minutes she had to remind herself that it was just that, only a dream. The sound of water in the distance alerts her senses, she continues on towards it.

A small stream stretches out in front of her, she stabs the torch into the dirt at the edge of the water illuminating a small area around her. She stands at the edge of the stream staring down at her reflection. Her face was blank as she pushed all her thoughts down, she just wanted to feel at peace for a moment and she let the sound of the rushing water entrance her.

"Rey.." Bens voice calls out to her but this time it didn't startle her. Instead she clasps her hands against her ears in a desperate attempt to drown it out. "It's all in my head" she repeats over to herself.

"Rey.." His voice calls again but this time it's accompanied with a leathery grip wrapping around Rey's wrist. Her body tenses up with fear and disbelief. She tugs her wrist away expecting the feeling to disappear, that her mind was just playing another trick on her, but the grip holds steady.

"Ben?" She hushes under her breath, refusing to turn around.

"We need to talk" He replies his voice calm but stern. His grip releases on her wrist and she hears his footsteps take a step back. She takes a deep breath and turns his direction.

His black hair sways gently in a mix of moonlight and the soft glow from the torch. His facial expression was soft and calm, the look was unfamiliar to Rey.

"Is it really you? You're here?, but how?" Rey takes a step towards him, her hand reaching out to his face.

His eyes close as her finger tips make contact against his cheek. His skin was warm and rough against her hand. In that moment she didn't care how he got here, because he was here. Ben flinches as Rey unexpectedly to him wraps her arms around his waste, hiding her face against his chest. Hesitantly he wraps his arms around her shoulders lightly and they stand together momentarily in a silent embrace.


	7. A Long Conversation

— Rey

Rey breaks the embrace, backing away embarrassed, her cheeks flushed red. She had let her emotions get the best of her and wasn't thinking clearly. She didn't realize how much she actually missed Ben until he was standing right in front of her. He may have chosen a different path, but Rey couldn't deny that they had once formed a bond between one another.

The moment had now passed and Rey came to her senses. This was the same Ben that hours before was ordering the destruction of the last of the resistance. The same Ben that she watch kill his father in cold blood. He may be calm now, but Rey knew his emotions were unstable, and she didn't fully trust him. She put her guard up.

"Why are you here?" The words come out harsher than intended. She wanted Ben to be here, but she wasn't going to let his outburst on Crait go unchallenged. Ben had a lot to answer for before she would allow herself to be vulnerable to him again, but she would listen to what he had to say.

— Ben

Rey's expression had quickly turned from being relived upon his presence to serious within a blink of an eye. When her arms wrapped around his waist, he felt a warmness in the pit of his stomach, a feeling he had not felt in a long time. It was the first human contact he had received since he was a young boy.

"I wanted to explain myself" He replies sincerly, his voice low. He looks to Rey for permission to speak. Her demeanor held strong as someone who would not be easily swayed, but she nodded anyway for him to start.

"My whole life I've live beneath the people who were suppose to protect me" His eyes shift toward the ground as he spoke. "Han and Leia were always so wrapped up in their own affairs that my life was upturned by a mother whos only focus was leading the resistance, and a father who found it was more important to maintain a reputation and full wallet than take the responsibility of parenthood. So they sent me away to train with Luke. I never had a choice of my own, and they just abandoned me. I've had to deal with the pain of feeling unwanted since the day I could form feelings and thoughts of my own." His fists clench and unclench as he fought to keep his temper at bay. This was just the surface of pain that suffocated him daily, his lip quivered as he continued. "I had no choice but to train with Luke and the other Jedi, and so I did. It wasn't long before Luke started to treat me different, as if I was a danger to myself and the other students. He began to hold me back from my true potential.

"I don't understand" Rey interrupts him. "What reason did Luke have to hold you back?"

Ben takes in a deep breath. "All I wanted was to make my mother and father notice me and so I decided, to do so I needed to become the strongest, most powerful Jedi anyone has ever seen. The darkside of the force called to me and I began to channel my pain of abandonment into power. I thought Luke would be proud of me, but instead he feared me, everyone did. And so Once again I felt abandoned and alone.

"Ben..." Rey try's to speak but it quickly cut off. Bens expression didn't change but his voice became graver as the memories flooded the air as he spoke.

"Not long after Snoke had found a way into my thoughts. He exploited my pain and ushered me to the dark side with the promise of power and fulfillment. I admit I was tempted. Snoke saw potential in me and offered me a spot by his side, where he would train me to harness my inner strength. He made me feel important. Far from what my own parents ever made me feel let alone Luke who always watched me with a close eye just waiting for me to slip. I wanted more than anything to be something to someone. I was struggling inside my own head. The night Luke came to my bedroom and threatened my life solidified my temptations. Instead of helping me, he turned on me, and so I left." Ben finishes, his eyes welling with tears that he fought back.

"Ben, I am so sorry for your past." She takes a step towards him, struggling herself to fight back the overwhelming urge to break. She stops short of reaching her hand out to touchs his. She wanted nothing more than to comfort him but she knew better. The minute she did so, she would be telling herself that his actions were justified.

"I know you struggle the same way that I have, I know you feel the darkness just as I do. Your parents abandoned you and left you all alone. You and I are one in the same Rey." He straightens himself upright and bridges the gap between them taking her hands in his. He wanted to feel her touch again, the warmth of her finger tips against his. This time she didn't pull away from him. Tears now soaked her skin as he continued to speak. "The resistance has nothing for you. They will exploit your very own conflict to meet their needs, fighting a war that will never end. You know I am right. Your abandonment is just there gain, as was mine once to Snoke."

— Rey

Her hands held tight to his as she soaked in everything he had told her. His final words make an impact and she turns away in disbelief. Ben had made a complicated argument. She hadn't stopped to analyze what her role in the resistance meant to them, or herself really. Perhaps Ben was right and She didn't belong here. Maybe Leia only sent her to find Luke because she was aware of her force abilities and Luke was the only one who could help awaken them, maybe that was her goal all along, but Rey couldn't believe she could be that type of person.

"We don't have to feel abandoned anymore" Ben catches her lost in thought. . "We share a connection Rey, and I know you feel it too. I can feel now as our hands join together. I was just as lost as you searching for my place in the galaxy, and now I know where that place stands." His eyes burn into hers as his expression becomes sullen.

Rey's Heart starts to pound in her chest. She didn't intend to let him break her down so easily, but she knew she felt it too and the feeling was overwhelming. Could she really turn her back to the resistance?

"Come with me Rey, and we can leave this pain behind. The resistance cannot save you." He pleads

Her heart was being tugged with emotion. A sudden chill swept through the forest trees and buffeted against her jacket. She slowly backs away from Ben, breaking contact with him. He looks shocked and hurt as the distance between them grows. "I need time to think" Rey's voice breaks. "I'm sorry". She turns from him and runs into the forest.


	8. Poe Pt1 Weight

— Poe

The air was damp as Poe lay awake on his side restlessly on the uneven makeshift mattress of twigs and straw, held together only by mud. His legs hung over the end of it, as it was built for Ewoks and not a full grown human. He felt frustrated. Not only was he uncomfortable with the temporary living arrangements, but today had gone far worse than he was prepared for. His thoughts were spread thin.

His temples throbbed as he became over-focused on his feelings of failure. Meanwhile his heart felt weighted with guilt.

After leaving Bright tree village he had traveled back to the Falcon with Rey and Leia. He parted ways with them and carried out his orders to relay the plan to those onboard while the two spoke to those who had already taken to the area. While doing so he ran into Finn who sat by Rose's bedside in recovery. In their brief exchange of words it was revealed that Rose was expected to make a full recovery from her wounds inflicted on Crait. They shared a mutual feeling of relief and happiness. As Poe was leaving he made a final glance back at Rose. Her body moved up and down gently and her face wore a peaceful expression. He smiled once more thankful for at least one small miracle, that is until he noticed her hand resting upon her chest. Cupped between her index finger and thumb he notice a familiar glimmer of silver shaped in a half moon. Without another word he turned and left painfully reminded of his mistake.

Poe rolled on his back in attempt to get more comfortable, something that was slowly being proven as impossible. His victory against the dreadnaught seemed so insignificant now. He had cost the resistance more than they could afford to lose, half the fleet including Paige, Roses sister. All the while it tore him up inside that he deliberately disobeyed General Organa in the process not only costing him his rank but Leia's respect.

"This is ridiculous" Poe sits upright in discontent. His chest heaved with rapid breathing as he tried to calm himself down. A gentle scatter of beeps emit from the corner of the room as the orange and white Droid rolls into the center and of the room facing him.

"Yeah, I'm alright Beebee-ate. Thanks" He replies to his companion. The little droid had been with him since he was the commander of Rapier Squadron for the New Republic and he always had a way of sensing Poe's distress.

"Doesn't look like I'll be getting any sleep tonight" he shrugs heavily before standing up. He brushes off the lose straw that clung to his tan shirt, and combs his fingers through his tousled hair. BB8 follows him as he pushes his way out of the small hut into the night air.

BB8 coos softly but Poe hushes him sternly. "We don't want to wake anyone" He scolds. His eyes wander around the small village that the Ewoks had generously offered them as haven. They stop on one hut in particular and Poe can't help but smile as he thought about the girl who saved all of their lives today. "Of all the things that went wrong, at least one thing turned out right" he whispers solely to himself before leaning back to admire the moon that peaked high in the sky.

BB8 turns to the hut at Poe's words, his gaze fixated. No more than a moment passes when BB8 senses movement towards the hut. Remembering Poe's warning he begins to sway in distress to get Poe's attention.

"Beebee-ate I thought I told you to be..." His eyes catch the movement as well. A small figure was emerging from the woods near Rey's hut. He places his hand on BB8s frame and bends down next to the droid his other hand raised to his mouth in a silent gesture. They watch as the figure grows closer, it was too dark to make out its form. Poe squints trying to force his eyes to adjust faster in the moonlight but before he can the figure slips into Rey's hut.

Without hesitation he was fully alert, springing upwards and unhooking the blaster from its holster that rested on his belt. He motions to BB8 to follow as he takes efficiently long but quiet strides towards the hut. Slipping up to the side of the building he creeps slowly towards the opening of the door, pressing the cloth covering to the side with the tip of his blaster. He peers in trying to make out the dark surroundings and the creature within. He hears a shuffling noise as a shadow moves in the darkness. "On my signal" he whispers to BB8, putting his full trust that the droid understood his direction.

"Now" Poe shouts charging into the room, BB8 at his heel emits a light from his head assembly. The room lights up in an instant. Poe's blaster was at the ready pointing towards what he thought was an intruder. Rey turns around and freezes at the barrel of the blaster.

Immediately his face grows hot and he quickly pulls his weapon away to his side. His forehead was dripping with sweat as the adrenaline still coerced through his veins. Rey stares at him in confusion unable to speak. An awkward silence stretched out in front of them momentarily.

"What's going on?" Rey finally breaks the silence.

Huffing, Poe slides his blaster into his holster with ease. He wipes the sweat from his brow and shoots Rey a sheepish smile. "Well not to make an ass of myself but I thought someone, or something,..." he trailed off realizing how foolish he sounded. Even if someone other than Rey had entered her living space, what gave him the indication that it was something unusual, or bad for that matter. He blamed it on his sleep exhaustion that he wasn't able to think rationally. "Uh,.. anyway, I'm sorry." He scratches the back of his head in embarrassment.

Rey relaxes her shoulders and smiles at him. "Well I guess I should thank you then." Her tone was gentle with a hint of amusement.

Poe tilts his head at her with a raised eyebrow. He suspected that she was just trying to be nice.

"I guess I'm still new to this heroic stuff, but it's nice to know I have friends that have my back" Her expression drops suddenly after the words left her lips. She was thinking about Ben and the battle on the Supremacy. He had saved her life. However she was smart enough to know that killing Snoke wasn't about saving her, it was more if not all about saving himself.

"Hey, are you okay?" Poe takes a step towards her noticing the mood shift. BB8 rolls at his heel keeping the room illuminated. He didn't want to pry but he knew all to well the pain that hid behind those familiar sunken eyes. He had felt it himself moments before.

He hadn't noticed before but as he stood studying her face more closely now, he made out a decent sized gash crusted in dark red over her right eye. Her hair was coming undone from the three buns that held it back, and he could identify several pieces of twigs and leaves littered throughout the nest. He was taken aback at the disheveled state.

"What made you join the resistance?"


	9. Poe Pt2 Mutual Feelings

— Poe

"What made you join the resistance?" Her head hung low, her voice quiet. She took a seat on the bed, resting her hands in her lap before glancing up at him.

"Why was she asking this all of a sudden?, and what happened to her?" Whatever the reason was he wasn't going to question it just yet. Something was obviously bothering her and from past experiences he learned patience was key. He took a seat next to her, his mind resurfacing old memories.

"You know, both my parents fought right here alongside General Organa and Han Solo in the battle of Endor" His finger fiddled with a small metal ring that hung from a chain around his neck as he spoke. Rey looked at him with astonishment. "My mother served as a pilot in the alliance to restore the republic, while my father was a Sergeant. They dedicated most of their lives trying to bring peace and balance to the galaxy. My Father, Kes, would tell me fascinating stories of their heroic victories and triumphs. I can still remember being so enthralled, so amazed that they were willing to put their lives on the line to make a brighter future for not just themselves, for everyone."

He frowns "My mother on the other hand, she was more closed off about her time with the republic. She didn't believe In boasting about her accomplishments, that is enough just to live with them." He chuckles to himself thinking back. "And yet everyday I would ask thinking maybe one day my nagging would break her."

A smile cracks on Rey's face.

He pauses a moment to take a deep breath. The past was never an easy thing to talk about but he pushed through the emotions. "Everyday though, my mother would take me flying in her A-wing. I would sit on her lap and we would soar through the sky, her hands guiding mine on the controls. I loved the feeling of being in the air. It was like having freedom at my finger tips." Poe bites his bottom lip getting lost in the flashback. His mother was the one who taught him to fly, and he would never be ungrateful for the skill she passed on to him.

"When my mother passed it wasn't easy for me, I sill struggle with her loss everyday. I wanted to honor her memory by continuing with her legacy to create a better world for everyone as well. So I followed in her footsteps and became a pilot for the new republic, and you know the rest from there." He smirks at her. "And now To be able to serve under General Organa just as she did is a great honor."

Poe finished speaking and exhaled a hefty sigh. BB8s head hung low as he rolled up to Poe's leg to comfort him.

Rey was left twiddling her thumbs unsure of what to say. She hadn't taken the time to think too deeply of the backgrounds of the people she was surrounded by. She lived on her one since she was a small child and thinking of others was new to her. It wasn't that she was self absorbed, but her mentality had been warped by isolation. "I'm really sorry to hear about your mother" she finally turns to him. His lips curl slightly upwards into an appreciative smile. "She sounds like a wonderful person, your father too. Any idea what became of him?"

"His where a-bouts are unknown" He shrugs. "I haven't really thought about it much, but I like to imagine I will run into him someday."

Rey gives him a sympathetic nod and puts a comforting hand against his wrist. "I understand the feeling."

Heat tingles throughout Poe's body at the touch of Rey's hand against his wrist. His face glowed a soft pink, mostly from embarrassment of sharing intimate details of his past. He couldn't remember the last time he ever spoke of his parents out loud to anyone other than his droid. It made him feel like a sheepish boy.

The other part of him was mixed with a complicated feeling. His stomach felt light and tingly. He hesitated with the thought of placing his hand on hers but ultimately decided against it. In the short amount of time he had known Rey he had grown fond of her presence.

"What made you ask?" He decided he was ready to confront her on the question. Concern outweighed his curiosity in the matter.

Rey removes her hand from his and ponders in her thoughts for a brief moment. Finally she sighs and turns her face away from him. "I'm still not sure what my place in all of this is, in the resistance. I was aware of the war going on in the galaxy but it was non of my concern, and now I'm apart of it." She turns towards him, her expression sullen. "I waited so long for my parents to come back for me. All I ever had to do was survive. And now, I just feel so lost." Her voice started to shake. "I have no family, and no home. All I have this power I barely understand and the one person who would be able to guide me is gone." She closes her eyes tightly trying to suppress tears that threatened to expose the full extent of her pain.

"Rey" This time he didn't hesitate to comfort her. He leaned closer to her and put his hand lightly against her back. "Luke's death wasn't your fault." He replied trying to be gentle but firm at the same time.

Rey turns her head to him. "If I hadn't.." Poe cuts her off with a stern head shake.

"No, you cannot start that." His jaw clenched tightly as he spoke. "Nothing you did or could have done would can change what has happened. Trust me, I know how it feels to put blame on yourself. Back on Jakku when I was first looking for the map to Skywalker, I was in the village of Tuanul. We had an ally there that had what we sought and General Organa sent me to retrieve it. I was successful in the endeavor and me and Beebee-Ate began to flee." The droids head slumped and he cooed sorrowfully at the memory.

"Before we could escape our ship was destroyed. At that moment I saw Kylo Ren standing there his saber at Lor San Tekkas throat, I told beebee-ate to flee. That I would find him when it was over. I watched helplessly as Kylo Ren assassinated our ally. So instinctively I fired at Ren. I was captured. Ren realized Tekka had given me the map and planned to extract information from me. As I was being loaded into his ship he gave the order for the entire village to be slaughtered." Poe closes his eyes as the memories rippled through his mind. He could still feel the heat of the flames burning around him. The cries of the villagers and their families being murder in cold blood. He opens his eyes after calming down.

"I still find myself being swallowed up by guilt. But I myself need to understand and come to terms with the facts. Kylo Ren was going to slaughter that village with or without me. But with you,.." He reaches over and takes her hand in his. "You and Luke gave us a fighting chance." He looked into her eyes with admiration. He felt the tickling in his stomach again, suddenly realizing their closeness. He clears his throat trying to regain his thoughts.

"Luke gave his life so that we could escape, it was entirely his choice. Even if you were the one who opened his eyes to the struggle around us, his choice was not your fault." He gently release her hand and pulls his away shyly, scratching the back of his head to ease the awkwardness he felt. He knew this wasn't the time to be thinking of such things but he couldn't help but notice how attractive he found Rey. Not only did he find her physical beauty to be that of what most men found desirable, but her personality amplified it now. She was like himself in many ways. Talking to her like this, intimately sharing details of his life with her was opening a connection the hadn't felt in a long time now.


	10. Poe Pt3 Stay

— Rey

"Perhaps you're right" Rey says defeated. She wasn't fully convinced that the blame wasn't her own, but her mind was too tired to make an argument. It was nearly dawn now. Her shoulders slumped and her eyes hung low. Subconsciously he reaches up and rubs her forehead in a dazed state. "Ow" she winces. She felt a warm liquid coat her fingers. Removing her hand from her head she examines her index and pointer finger that were now smeared with a red substance.

"Let me take a look" Poe looks at her with concern. She nods approvingly. He takes her face in his hands and pulls hers close to his. Brushing a stray piece of hair from her forehead he examines the cut thoroughly making sure it wasn't deep. His fingers were cold against her skin. But his breath burned hot against her forehead. She took a deep breath as he gently dabbed the sleeve of his cotton shirt against the wound. He smelled of freshly turned dirt mixed with sweat and a slight trace of ale. Rey didn't find it repulsive, instead she found the smell to be comforting.

"I noticed this earlier after I came barging in. I meant to ask what happened to you, but I thought my intrusion was enough prying for the night." His mouth widened in a toothy grin. Rey glanced up at him, he was still focused on stopping the bleeding and hadn't noticed. Her cheeks flushed pink at his smile. It made his cheek puff and small dimples came out of hiding. He was even more charming up close as she recalled her feelings from before when they were headed towards the Ewoks village. She couldn't look away.

"I couldn't sleep" she mumbles. "I decided to get some fresh air, took a walk a little ways into the forest. I had a torch with me but I dropped it and had a hard time finding my way back" At least that was most of the truth.

— Poe

"That should do it" Poe pulls his sleeve off the cut and the bleeding had ceased. "Just try not to rub it anymore" He starts to move his face away from hers but gets stopped by her big brown eyes staring into his. His body suddenly felt weak and a longing urge begged him to separate the distance between them. He got a hold of himself once again and just smiled at her "I think we should both try to get at least some sleep"

The sparkle in her face faded and he couldn't make out her feelings. He wasn't the best at reading emotions but he didn't want to act hastily. These new feelings were complicated and he didn't know how to rationalize them yet. They had just met after all. Fighting with himself and sleep exhaustion he manages to pull himself up from the bed and stretch his arms high. His muscles were still sore.

"Thank you again" Rey smiles at him endearingly.

"Of course" he winks at her. "Come on Beebee-Ate" He calls to his companion and holds the curtain of the doorway open for him. The droid nods a farewell to Rey before turning and rolling of the door. "See you in the morning" Poe says before he himself slips out the door.

— Rey

It was suddenly dark inside the hut and she was once again left alone to her thoughts. Images swirled in her mind of Poe's conversation only moments ago. She shook her head as she imagined Ben murdering thousands of innocents. It wasn't something she should surprised of. She had seen his destruction first hand, but still it hit her hard. She wanted to deeply believe that he could reformed but the odds kept getting stacked up against him. "How could someone who's caused so much pain to the galaxy ask for anything in return" She thought to herself sadly. "But more importantly how could I even considering giving him what he wants?" She sighs heavily.

She wasn't sure what she was going to do about the situation. He was waiting for answer. The only thing she knew in the moment is that she didn't want to be left alone with her thoughts anymore.

Slowly rising from the bed she made her way to the door and pushed the curtain aside. The sky shone a faint golden yellow as the sun began to peak the horizon. There were still a few hours before morning and the village was silent as the rest of the rebels slept. Poe was at the doorway to his hut. She watched him once again pull the curtain aside to allow BB8 to enter first. Rey took a step out of her own and was about to call to him when he suddenly turns her direction. His expression looked confused. He ushers a few words to BB8 before heading back in her direction.

"You okay?" He tilts his head, his eyebrow raised with suspicion. "You didn't open your cut again did you?" He eyes her forehead playfully.

"No, I'm Fine" Rey replies quietly looking away slightly embarrassed. She wasn't exactly sure how to phrase her question without it coming off childish or awkward. She rubs the back of her neck her cheeks flushing. "Do you think you could.."

Poe's face relaxes into a soft smile. "Come on" he gestures towards the doorway of her hut and they both head back inside. They both shuffled around in the darkness until their eyes adjusted.

Rey lays on the bed, her knees folded up to her chest to make herself fit. "Don't laugh" she grumbles at Poe. She could make out the smile on his face. He lays on the bed next to her and rolls to face her, leaving his legs to swing over the edge.

"At least we're only here to recharge." He says yawning. "Speaking of which, you should close your eyes". He said as he closed his.

Her mind felt at ease as she watched him gently breath beside her. His hand lay inches from hers rested on the feather stuffed pillow they shared. The thought of Ben still weighed heavy on her heart but she succumbed to this new feeling. Closing her eyes she gently reaches out and places her hand on his. Her heart thumps rapidly and her cheeks grow hot as she feels his fingers curl around hers. At last she found herself drifting into a peaceful sleep.


	11. Ben Pt1: Burning Anger - The Hunt Begins

Ben

Ben watched Rey run into the darkness with a sour taste in his mouth. He could still feel the warmth from her hands in his palms; but it wasn't long before they turned cold again, just another reminder of his continuing loneliness. She had abandoned yet again.

He scowled as he paced in circles unsure of what to do next. He would be damned if he decided to return to the first order and face that sniveling orange haired leech. He had no drive to go back, no reason what so ever. As far as he was concerned Rey was his future. Little did he realize that tunnel vision could be dangerous especially in the mind of someone already so unstable.

Minutes began to feel like hours dragging on. His patience was short of a small child who didn't fully understand the meaning of "wait". What was he waiting for. In his mind the answer was so simple, so why couldn't Rey see it? He feverishly clenches and unclenches his fists over and over accompanied by deep short breaths. He was trying not to let his anger get the best of him. Rey had left so abruptly leaving him to overthink the previous conversation. Feelings that he had kept dormant for so long stung him rawly on the surface. His anger soon grew to match the feeling of overwhelming pain and sadness.

"Aaaaaaagghhhhhh" His triple bladed Saber ignites in his hands. He stares at the red jagged light that spit and hissed at the call of his fingertips. His eyes twitched as he focused on swaying glow letting it entrance him. The Saber was a reflection of himself, uneven, unbalanced, unstable. With a large burst of anger he swings the Saber in a circular motion. It slices through the air swiftly un-connecting to any physical object, barely missing a spruce tree in front of him. He wasn't satisfied with the result. He needed to feel the blade dig deeply into the flesh of anything to satisfy the rising heat in the pit of his stomach. He pulls the saber back and stabs in forwards, easily burning a hole into the tree he had missed beforehand. The wood begins to crack and splinter as the heat from the Saber ate away at its insides until it gave way and began to burn. Ben pulls the Saber back and admires the destruction in front of him. It only last a moment,.. the anger disappeared and he was left feeling hollow once again.

Left with nothing else to do, Ben heavily sighed and turned in the direction he had landed his ship. A few miles away from the Ewok Village to remain hidden. He decided that if Rey needed him she would have to contact him through the force, he wasn't going to wait around in fear of her never showing up to begin with.

Trudging through the darkness, he could make out his ship in the distance as the sun began to cover the horizon in an orange glow. Tired and emotionally drained, he wanted nothing more than to fall asleep and forgot his feelings.

Movement ahead catches his off Guard. He freezes in his tracks and slowly backs away behind one of the towering spruce trees. The weight in his knees turn weak as his heart sank to the bottom of his stomach. The familiar swarm of white black troopers stood guard around his ship, their guns lowered to the ground as they waited further instruction. Bens nostrils flared as General Hux emerged from beneath the bottom of the ship. As always his face was scrunched up with a smug superior expression that made Bens lip quiver into a scowl. In his hands he held a small black device that Ben instantly recognized,.. A tracker.

"That insufferable piece of shit!" Ben grits his teeth ready to charge into the clearing with a vengeance, but haults as he watches Hux issue a command with his hand. The troopers that surrounded the ship nodded in unison before spreading out. A group to the right, a group to the left, leaving nothing in between. Ben smirked at Hux's ignorance as there was now nothing left to protect the poor excuse of a leader. He fastened his Saber back in its holster before taking a step towards the clearing. He wasn't going to need it.


	12. Update: The Story Shall Continue Shortly

— Finn

His feet tumbled across the brown earth as he ran frantically from the Falcon towards the village. Sweat was pouring down his forehead, his eyes wide with fear. "Rey!, Rey!" Finns voice carried the wind as tie fighters zoomed overhead. He headed towards Rey's hut, passing Poe's as BB8 rolled out after him.

Ahead Rey brushed the cloth door open and took a step out into the village. Finn sighed in relief as he drew closer. He paused as Poe emerged from the doorway as well. Looking back momentarily the orange and white droid nodded his head upwards at him curious as to why they had stopped. Shaking his head he continued forward.

"Thank... god... *huff* I found you guys." Finn gasped as he tried to get the words out.

"What's going on?!" Poe shouted as the tire fighters made another circle overhead. With it came a barrage of heavy gunfire.

"Get down!" Rey grabbed the boys by their shirt collars and quickly pulled them inside the hut. They landed ungracefully on the dirt floor as bullets spit across the area they had just been standing.

"Thanks" Poe looked up at Rey gratefully with an unfazed grin. She stood up and extended her hand to him and hoisted him upright; doing the same for Finn.

"We need to go" Finn immediately started. He peered outside as the village was engulfed in red rain. Some huts had already sparked fire as the occupying rebels fled.

 **Hey everyone who's been enjoying the story so far! I know I've been absent from writing this one for a while. I had some major writers block but I think I've got a good idea on how to continue. Here's a little sneak preview of the next chapter to come!**

 **Do me a favor and like, and comment on my story! It helps me gage the interest of the readers and determine how much work I should be putting into this. Thank you so much to everyone who's already been so supportive, it truly means a lot!**


	13. AUTHORS NOTE - RE-Edited

Hey Everyone!, I appreciate you following this story so much! (I'm not ending it) but I have some good news.

I have re-edited it! The New one can be found under the title; Not Quiet Broken - Starwars Fanfic - Love Triangle. I focused more on some of my mistakes and general things I was unhappy with. I felt like this story was riddled with large chapters that only contained useless information rather than constructive plot points. It also felt very repetitive with word choices and re-reading it hurt. I also tried to get rid of as many spelling mistakes and correct some of my grammar. It's not perfect, just better. I think.

So if you love this story, please give the revised one a chance. I look forward to seeing you over there


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